Lawrence Journal-World 02-21-14

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FRIDAY • FEBRUARY 21 • 2014

Tax season is upon us

EDUCATION

Targeted approach suggested for full-day K ———

Children’s Cabinet official does not endorse Brownback’s proposal for kindergarten funding By Scott Rothschild Twitter: @ljwrothschild

Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photo

AARP TAX-AIDE VOLUNTEER JIM MCMURRAY, left, assists John Cronin, of Baldwin City, with tax forms, while others complete the process in the background Thursday at the Lawrence Senior Center. The free income tax preparation service for low- and moderate-income people over 60 is available through April 15. Appointments can be made by contacting the Senior Center at 842-0543.

KU’s top PR man discusses ‘heartburn’ issues By Ben Unglesbee bunglesbee@ljworld.com

As vice chancellor of public affairs at Kansas University, Tim Caboni says that every negative story about the university “gives me heartburn.” Caboni spoke to KU’s University Senate Thursday about the efforts of his office to consolidate operations, raise the university’s

profile in national media and increase message discipline across the institution. KU public affairs and marketing have become more focused and increased Caboni their budgets under Caboni, and KU’s

research has been mentioned more frequently by national media. At the same time the university’s relationship with the state has become strained at times, and KU has entered the national spotlight under less than ideal circumstances. In recent months, the university has found its way into headlines in local and national news outlets because of a social media

policy passed by the Kansas Board of Regents in December, which many across the country have said violates academic freedom and free speech rights. The policy, currently under review, gives university heads the authority to suspend and fire employees for improper social media posts. Please see KU, page 2A

Topeka — The head of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet on Thursday declined to endorse Gov. Sam Brownback’s proposal to have the state fund full-day kindergarten. Amanda Adkins instead suggested that the state may want to target funds to Brownback pay for full-day kindergarten in specific areas that show a need. She said any increase in funding should be accompanied by monitoring to determine the effectiveness of the expenditure. Adkins is chairwoman of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, which oversees expenditures on children’s programs that are funded by legal settlements with tobacco companies. She and Janice Smith, executive director of the Children’s Cabinet, appeared before a special House committee that is analyzing a proposal by Brownback to phase in over five years state funding of all-day kindergarten. Please see SCHOOL, page 2A

Few tickets issued for violating shoveling ordinance

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awrence residents may be getting better at running a snow shovel. According to the latest numbers from City Hall, only six tickets were issued for unshoveled sidewalks following the snowstorms that hit earlier this month. That’s an improvement from when the snow shoveling ordinance was in its infancy. During the winter of 2009/2010, the city issued more than 200 tickets to property owners who hadn’t cleared their sidewalks within the 48 hours following the

end of a snow storm. During this most recent batch of winter weather, the city did receive 72 complaints about the condition of sidewalks. But Brian Jimenez, the city’s director of codes, said most of them didn’t result in a ticket because city inspectors took the extra step of trying to call property owners before conducting an inspection. Once called, those property owners got busy shoveling and avoided a ticket, which carries a $20 fine and $60 in court costs. The city also

didn’t issue any tickets for sidewalks that clearly had been covered by snow thrown from a snow plow. But Jimenez, who has monitored the program for several years, said the biggest factor may be that residents are taking shoveling more seriously. “It definitely has increased awareness that shoveling your sidewalk is the neighborly thing to do,” Jimenez said. — By Chad Lawhorn Journal-World File Photo

INSIDE

Partly sunny Business Classified Comics Events listings

High: 57

Low: 28

Today’s forecast, page 8A

2A 5B-9B 7A 5A, 2B

Horoscope Movies Opinion Puzzles

9B Sports 4A Television 6A 9B

1B-4B 8A, 2B

Health care law A proposal to allow Kansas to exempt itself from the national health care overhaul has cleared its first significant federal hurdle. Page 3A

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Vol.156/No.52 26 pages


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